New Indigenous artwork unveiled at School of Medicine | Faculty of Health Sciences

“Our Culture of Medicine” by Jared Tait commissioned by the Indigenous Health Standing Committee  

When Anchaleena Mandal came to Queen’s as a first-year medical student from her hometown of Iqaluit, she struggled with the ‘culture shock’ of her new life in a new city. Something that helped her during that time was a piece of Inuit art displayed in the School of Medicine building—a carving of an Inuk woman wearing an amauti holding her baby—that brought her, “an immense sense of comfort in a new place.” Anchaleena is a settler who was born in India and immigrated to Canada at a young age and grew up for most of her life in the Nunavut Territory.

Recognizing the power of art in creating a sense of belonging, Anchaleena (who is now a first-year Family Medicine resident), and her peers in the Queen’s Indigenous Health Standing Committee led a three-year project to mount a commissioned piece of Indigenous art in the School of Medicine building. “Our Culture of Medicine,” is a triptych painting by Jared Tait that was officially introduced to the QHS community at a reception on April 23, 2024. 

Tait is an Anishininwuk artist from Sachigo Lake First Nation in Treaty 9 who is currently living in Peterborough, ON. The painting is created in the Woodland style and demonstrates the traditional roles of plants and animals for Indigenous peoples in treating illness and maintaining health. It depicts how a healthy body can help Indigenous peoples to thrive in nature, hold ceremonies and pass on traditional knowledge.

“The overall goal for this project was to create a physical representation of several calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Report. Specifically those that address the implementation of health care rights of Aboriginal people, increase the number of Aboriginal professionals working in healthcare and in providing culturally-competent training in healthcare,” said Olivia Heid, one of the project co-leaders and a third-year medical student.

She is a settler from German and Finnish heritage as well as Scottish and Indigenous descent. She is a non-status member of the Bonnechere Algonquin Community in Pembroke, ON.  Funding for the artwork was generously given by the Meds Class of 2012 Fund and the Meds Class of 1974 Fund.

The idea to create an Indigenous art installation came prior to Anchaleena joining the committee, but it resonated deeply with her and the three other members who co-led the project. They drafted the initial proposal for approval, and then consulted with the Indigenous communities within Queen’s and Tyendinaga to develop the artwork’s themes to help guide the process and issue the call for submissions. After more consultation, the group invited the entire Queen’s community to vote on which artist to complete the work. 

“I hope this artwork will create the same impact as the Inuit carving had for me, which is creating a culturally-safe place for future Indigenous learners,” says Mandal. Both Heid and Mandal are collaborating on a paper, to be published soon, outlining the process and methodology behind the project and the importance of community engagement in similar initiatives.